WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump's 2025 income disclosure reported earnings of $2.2 billion, with more than $1 billion derived from cryptocurrency. The filing has drawn criticism from ethics experts and former officials.

Norm Eisen, chair and co-founder of Democracy Defenders Action and a former White House ethics czar for President Barack Obama, described the disclosure as "the most shocking presidential financial disclosures in the history of our country." He added, "we've never seen a president exploit the presidency, exploit the White House in this fashion." Eisen cited reports that Trump privately traded Paramount and Warner stock while his administration favored those companies. He said the crypto windfall is "highly conflicted because he's raking in hundreds of millions in crypto cash while regulating crypto." Eisen also stated he remains "in search of more evidence and proof" that Trump is not personally directing trades.

Rob Lalka, a scholar at Tulane University who studies the intersection of wealth and political power, said, "what's unprecedented is the scale, and who's doing it: a sitting president just reported earning $2.2 billion in a single year. This is abnormal, and that should be stated directly and clearly." Lalka added, "There are many perks that come with being president. Adding a couple of billion to your net worth shouldn't be one of them."

Former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt noted historical scandals but differentiated the current situation. "We've had scandals in the past, and we've had Teapot Dome and on and on," Gephardt said. "But it was frankly nothing [compared to this]. It was small potatoes. This is gigantic numbers." Regarding potential insider information, Gephardt stated, "Talk about insider information. He's a walking insider information factory." He further said, "If he can make decisions and know about them before they're made and announced, that's ultimate insider information. I don't know how you can conclude anything else."